Stygian
by paisleyluv96
Summary: We all know what happened on the night Richard Grayson lost his parents. But this one has a twist. A big one. Little Dick runs away and meets a tall dark man in a dark alley in Gotham with a two toned mask. What happens to the little orphan now? R&R!
1. Prologue

**Hey guys, so I've had this story running around in my head for a while...let me know what you think...Ch 1 is also up!**

Prologue

The first time I saw my Master, I wasn't scared.  
Believe it or not, considering just how scary he actually was...  
He was a murderer.  
He was a thief.  
He was my Master.  
He took me in when I had nowhere else to go.  
He was my savior.  
He saved my life, and for that, I gave it to him.  
This is the story of how my name went from Dick Grayson: circus performer, to Stygian, apprentice to Deathstroke the Terminator. And heir to his criminal empire. It all began at the circus where I spent the first five years of my life. I can't really say that I was raised there... I barely remember it. I do remember the circus tent. It was a bright white. It seemed to be a beacon for thrill seekers. People would come from all over to see death defying acts performed. They wanted to see someone eaten by a lion, or mauled by a tiger. The audience, whether they knew it or not, wanted blood. And one night, a night I will never forget, that audience got what they came for.

**Y'all ready for this? R&R**

**I'm kinda holding off on my other...trying to get a good chapter for the family of Slade Wilson...bear with me yall!**


	2. A Night to Remember

**Alright, Chapter one. Let me know what you think!**

Chapter 1: A Night to Remember

It was the first day of spring.  
My fifth birthday. The stage was set, the lights shone bright, the audience roared. That's the way it always was. It was supposed to be a happy time, a fun time for families and their children. No one was supposed to get hurt. No one ever had before... What made than night any different? There were three things about that night that were different:  
The reason the circus was there, The argument, and the fact that the tent was put up white.  
Thing number one: The reason the circus was there.  
I know the circus wasnt supposed to be in Gotham city that night. It wasn't on the route that the tour was taking. A billionaire by the name of Bruce Wayne had paid the owner a sum of money to stop in his city and perform for some kind of charity foundation. I don't remeber what for exactly, but I think it was for an orphanage. I saw Bruce Wayne one time. He was backstage at the circus, talking to the owner. I just happened to stumble by.  
I stared.  
He smiled.  
I smiled back.  
That was it. No words. Just a friendly encounter.  
Thing number two: The argument.  
I vaguely remember hearing an argument. It was just before the show was to begin. I was walking past the ring masters tent when I heard yelling. Being the nosy little five year old I was, I stopped to listen. I didn't understand what they were talking about because one: I was five, and two: I wasn't very good at English. My firt language is Romanian. I'm fluent in several other languages now. Including: Russian, German, Spanish, French, Italian, English, Japenese, and of course, Romanian. These men were yelling in English. The only words I remember from that moment are "money," "pay," "regret," and "hurt." These things didn't fit together right, so, I moved on.  
Thing number three: the tent was put up white.  
No big deal. Right? The tent was always white. After the argument, the next thing I remember was standing at the highest platform in the circus. Sixty feet. I was waiting for my turn to perform. My turn never came. The act was sabatoged. The wires were cut. The two people who were performing fell sixty feet to the ground.  
This happened in four steps: the wires snapped, they fell, all was silent, then, a thud. That was it. Simple. They were dead. The noise in the circus was dead. No one dared to break the silence. Not a sound was uttered. It seemed the entire crowd stopped breathing. They were waiting for the punch line. They thought it was part of the act. They were wrong. The tent, once all white, was splattered with droplets of blood. All over. The ground, the people, the tent, the audience...on  
me... Blood splattered everywhere. The bright white tent, never to be so again. From that day on, I've never seen a solid white circus tent anywhere. The tents are always two colors now: the original white, and streaked with red all around. That's all I remember about the circus that night: We weren't supposed to be there, there was an argument in a foreign language, two people died, and there was blood all over the white tent.  
The last thing I remember from that day, is meeting my savior.  
My Master.  
Deathstroke the Terminator.

**R&R! This one is gonna be good!**


	3. The Meeting

**Hey guys. So, since this is a really short chapter, I'm updateing two today. You're welcome. :)**

Chapter 2: The Meeting

I ran. I saw the bodies. I saw the blood. I ran to the deepest darkest parts of that city. I was five.  
I was lost.  
I was scared.  
I was alone.  
Looking back on it, I was also in grave danger. I was a five year old kid, in a dark alley, at night, in Gotham City. What could possibly go wrong? I could have been killed, kidnapped... But I wasn't. Someone was watching out for me. I stopped at the end of that alley, sat against the wall and cried my eyes out. I stayed there for hours. That's how my Master found me. I was a blubbering bloody five year old. I never saw him walk up. I never heard him. I merely looked up, and he was there. Kneeling in front of me. Just watching silently. It was dark, but the midnight moon shone off his mask. It glowed. I wasn't afraid of him. I should have been. We stayed silent for a long time. He didn't move. Only sat absolutely still, watching me cry. I stopped momentarily to look at him. But then, I just started crying again. I don't really remember this moment too much, but this is the story he always told me about the day we met. He says I sat there for hours. Eventually, I fell asleep. He picked me up in his arms. I opened my eyes. He looked down. I fell back asleep. Next thing I knew, I was waking up on a blue couch. A man with white hair and a black eyepatch was sitting in a chair across from me. I sat up.  
I stared.  
He smiled.  
I smiled back.  
"My name is Slade." he said.  
"I'm Dick." I said.  
We were silent for a few moments.  
"Are you hungry?"  
I nodded.  
"Well then, let's get you something to eat. Then we'll talk."  
I didn't understand. I just smiled. Those were the first words ever said between us. He was a stranger. He was nice. .

**R&R please!**


	4. The First Lesson

**Ok...so this one is short too...sorry. But, hopefully the chapter will get longer later. Teehee...**

Chapter 3: The First Lesson

That night, I slept on his couch again. By then he had figured out I couldn't fluently speak English. But it was ok. Because he was going to teach me. It would take me nineteen months to learn the language perfectly. He wasted no time. He never has. The next day, he showed me around his house. No. Not house. Maze. Mansion. His place was huge. It was like a four story warehouse. We started in the second story. It was underground. It was cold. It was incredible. He had an entire training room set up. Complete with a pool. There was an observation room with glass walls. There was a desk pushed up against the wall. He had weights, and bars, and ropes, and robots, and inverted stairs, and salmon ladders, and all-in-one gyms, as well as a basketball court and a running track that went all the way around. The place was humongous. On the other side of the room, at the back, was an elevated platform. On the walls were weapons. Bows, arrows, swords, guns, boomerangs, darts, throwing disks, and a bunch of other things I didn't have names for. I walked over to the wall and picked up what looked familiar to me. It was a long metal stick. It looked like the balance rod I practiced with at the circus.  
"It's called a bow staff." he said.  
I nodded. I smiled. He picked up another one. He faced me.  
"You use it kind of like a sword." he said. I understood the word sword. I'd seen those before. Slade dropped down into a fighting pose.  
"Attack me." he said.  
I didn't understand. He swung his bow staff in my direction lightly. I wasn't afraid he'd hit me... But I raised my staff and blocked his attack.  
"Very good, Dick." he praised. I smiled. He swung again. I blocked again. He smiled. Next time, I ran at him. I jumped up and swung at him. He blocked it easily. We continued for a while, he swung at me, but he never hit me. His blows were light, so even if he had hit me, I would have barely felt it.  
"Good job. Let's move on, shall we? We'll come back later." he said.  
I nodded. I understood 'later.' he took the staff and he showed me the third floor. This was a smaller floor. In it were a bunch of different rooms. A library, some closets, a file room, there was a big garage that had a small plane, a helicopter, and a motorcycle. There was a safe, a medical room, a bathroom...there wasn't very much. It was mostly just a big library. Slade had thousands of books. Magazines, newspapers, reports, articles...tons and tons of information. Next was the fourth floor. This was the only floor that wasn't underground. This floor was set up like a typical, everyday house. There was a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bathroom, a laundry room, an office, a garage, a foyer, and three bedrooms. Looking out the window, I saw that he actually lived in a neighborhood. Slade had a nice house. And he had a cool basement. In my five year old mind, nothing could be better. I stayed with him. He taught me how to speak English, he taught me how to fight, he helped me with my acrobatics. He was more than just a person who took me in, he was my Master. That's what I called him when we were training. He called me Stygian. It goes with his name. I didn't know it then... But his name was Deathstoke the Terminator. Pretty simple what his name means. Mine comes from the River Styx. Off the Stygian shores. The river where Charon ferried the souls of the dead. When we aren't training, I call him Slade, and he calls me Dick. That's the way it's always been. That's the way it always will be.  
I've had a good life.

**R&R!**

**Also, I'd love to hear from you guys as far as suggestions for this story...Please, tell me what you want to see happen. I'll do my best to make it happen. :) Have a good day!**


	5. Punishment

**Thank you all for your awesome reviews! I love you all. As requested...Here is my update. Please let me know what you think. **

**Warning: Corporal Punishment in this Chapter.**

**(I don't really think I should warn about that...But, whatever...)**

**Anywho. This one was fun to write. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4: Punishment

Slade became more demanding... more strict on me. He was my coach. My mentor. He taught me right from wrong. I recall the first time he punished me. I had been living with him for three months. I was settling in to my new life. I enjoyed it. Maybe a little too much...  
It was a stupid thing to do. But I was young. I was pushing Slade's limits just to see how far he would go. Not very far I found out. He was very lenient with me those first few months. He had found out what happened, and he knew I was distraught over the whole thing. But over time, those feelings dwindled.  
We had been practicing everyday with the bo staffs. I was getting pretty good at it for a five year old. So that day, he showed me how to shoot a gun. It was a small one that didn't have much of a recoil. It was easy, just line the target up with the dot and the dot with the site. Fire. It was loud. But it hit the mark. Close enough any ways. Or... So I thought. I figured I was good enough after the first try. After all, I had gotten pretty close. I had brought the gun upstairs with me. That in its self was against he rules. The reason all of the weapons and things were down there was so no one would see them. It was a secret. It was supposed to stay that way. I never understood why... That's just the way it was. No questions asked. I had brought things up from there before, only to get a harsh scolding from Slade. I always took whatever I had brought back down after that. I had done that twice. Both times, the offending object was a bo staff...The last time I had done it, Slade told me it better not happen again, or I wouldn't like the consequences. I tested his word. I brought the gun up with out his knowledge. He had gone to get he mail.  
I pulled out the gun.  
I aimed at a scuff mark on the wall.  
I fired. It was loud.  
But I hit the mark. I was proud. Slade came running in the house, mail crushed in his hands.  
"Dick! What happened?! Are you ok?" he was frantic. That's when he saw the smoking gun in my hands. I pointed proudly to the wall.  
"(Sucess) Bulls eye." I stated. Slade closed the door quietly behind him. He laid the mail on the table. He turned and looked at me with his hands on his hips.  
He was furious.  
"How many times do I have to tell you, Richard, you are NEVER to bring ANYTHING from downstairs up here?" he asked. I understood. I looked down. Ashamed.  
"Sorry... I'll take it back." I said as I turned to go.  
"No." he said. "Give the gun to me."  
I did. He put it on top of the refrigerator and knelt down to my level. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me.  
"What did I tell you about this?" he asked.  
"To not to bring the stuffs up here." I answered quietly.  
"Why?!" he demanded with another shake. A tear fell down my cheek.  
"Cuz it's a secret." I said.  
"That's right. And what did I tell you last time you did something like this?" he asked me very seriously.  
"I dunno..." I answered the way any five year old would in such a situation.  
Slade sighed.  
"Dick, listen to me. And you listen good, understand?" he asked.  
I nodded.  
"You may NOT disobey me. I've been lenient with you. This is your third offense with this sort of thing. You've disobeyed me before, and I won't have it anymore, understand? You won't get away with it this time. You shouldn't have gotten away with it the last two times. And you know better, don't you?"  
I nodded again.  
"You will be punished for this. Look at what you've done to the wall. Look at it! Didn't I tell you downstairs to NEVER EVER use a gun, or any weapon, for that matter, without me around? Didn't I?" he asked.  
I gave another tearful nod.  
He was very mad at me that day.  
"We won't be using guns for a while. How can I trust you to be safe with one when I can't even turn around without the fear of you hurting yourself?"  
I shrugged.  
"I'm sorry." I said.  
"Be that as it may, you're still going to be punished. Go to your room and wait for me there." he said.  
I nodded. I went to my room like he said. I sat on the bed. It took ten minutes before he came in. He had a big wooden paddle with holes in it in his hand. I started crying when I saw it.  
"Stop crying. You have nothing to cry over right now." he said. He sat down beside me on the bed and waited for me to stop crying. Eventually I did.  
"You may cry when there is something worth crying over." he said.  
I nodded.  
"Come here." he ordered.  
I did.  
He pulled me over his knee and held my legs down with his other leg.  
He spanked me.  
Hard.  
He did it twenty times.  
It hurt.  
A lot.  
I cried as the rain of hard smacks connected with my seat. When he was done, he stood me up.  
"What do you have to say?" he asked. I reached back to rub the sting away as I shifted from foot to foot in attempts to alleviate the pain.  
"I'm sorry." I sniffled. Slade pulled my hands back in front of me and made me stand still.  
"No rubbing." He said, "We already knew that you're sorry. What else?" he asked.  
"Thank you..." I said.  
"For what?" he asked, confused.  
"For punishing me..." I said.  
He looked amused, and shocked. He wasn't expecting that.  
"I don't want to do this again. Do you?" he asked.  
I shook my head.  
"Do not disobey me again, and we won't. Understood?"  
I nodded.  
"Good." he said.  
He stood up and ruffled my hair before leaving the room.  
I stayed and cried, eventually falling asleep on the bed facedown. I didn't rub anymore.  
That was the first time Slade punished me.  
It wouldn't be the last. And I always thanked him. He never gave me more than twenty. Never has. Even to this day.  
Even today, I thank him after he punishes me.  
Don't ask why... I haven't got a clue.

**Yay! a longerish chapter...kinda**

**Dick is so cute! It's such a kid thing to do to use a gun and shoot a wall...like, for real? who does that? Made me laugh. haha.**

**Sorry these are so short...I'll update again soon.**

**Have a good day!**

**~paisleyluv96**


	6. The Second Time and Music Class

**Quick note: I've changed a little detail in the previous chapter. You may not notice it, but, it is there. If you can figure it out, congrats to you!**

**This chapter was fun to write, just sayin'. **

**Here we go!**

Chapter 5: The Second Time and Music Class

The second time happened not long after that. Granted, I was good for about a week, but it wore off. We didn't use a gun for two months after that. But, Slade trained me in other areas. He showed me how to shoot archery, how to wield a sword, and how to throw a boomerang. The archery was pretty easy. It was just like the gun. Bulkier. But similar. I did ok with it. To start, we used a fencing foil for swordsmanship. It was light. Slade showed me how to fence, and he promised that when I was more capable, he'd show me how to use a real sword.  
The boomerangs were hard to do. They were supposed to come back. They never did. I got frustrated. He showed me how to do it several times. I just couldn't get the hang of it. He stood back an watched.  
"No, Stygian, less elbow, more wrist." he'd instruct. I'd get mad.  
"I know how to do it! I just gotta get it right!" I'd yell.  
"Lower your voice. Do not use that tone with me, young man."  
He warned me.  
"Yes, Master." I said. I'd try the throw again. And again. And again. Slade kept showing me. I kept failing.  
"Perhaps we'll come back to this later. Come on Stygian, we'll work on your fencing." he said.  
"NO! I GOTTA GET IT!" I yelled angrily as I threw the irritating thing at the man. He caught the boomerang.  
He wasn't happy.  
It was easy to tell when he wasn't happy.  
This was one of those times. He calmly walked over to the wall and hung the boomerang up.  
"I-I'm sorry." I said.  
"You will be. Come with me." he said plainly.  
I followed. Like I was heading to be executed, I followed.  
He led me to the desk. He opened the drawer and pulled out a paddle. It seemed like he had them everywhere.  
"I'm sorry, Master! I won't do it again!" I tried.  
"Oh, I know you won't. Bend over the desk." he ordered.  
I pouted. There was no reasoning with him. Slowly, I walked to the desk.  
Slowly, I bent over and grabbed the other edge.  
Thus, he commenced his reason for leading me here. Once again, he spanked me. Twenty times. Hard. I cried and kicked, with which I was given a stern order.

"Put your feet down, Richard."

I placed my feet back down on the ground and waited for him to continue. He complied with my expectations. Once he finished, he said:  
"You may get up now."  
He always told me that. I never move unless he tells me he's through.  
"Look at me." he said.  
I did. He bent down to my level.  
"Don't you ever raise your voice to me again. Understood?"  
I nodded as I reached back to rub my stinging backside. Slade pulled my hands back in front of me.

"No rubbing." He said gently yet sternly.  
"And don't ever throw anything at me again. Clear?"  
I nodded again.  
"Good." he finished.  
"Thank you." I sniffled.  
He nodded.  
He stood up and started to walk away.  
"Come on, Stygian. Let's take a break from this and go work on English." he said.  
I followed.  
I was getting good at English by then. I had been there for five months, and I was ten times better at it than I was when I first started living with Slade. He was a good teacher. We worked on English every day. And sometimes, we would work on other languages. Slade taught me English, German, Russian, and Spanish. Italian came easily as it was extremely similar to Spanish. French is the language I learned in school, and Japanese was a self taught language. Slade always said that the more languages one learns, the easier it is to communicate. Now, I'm working on Chinese. But anyway, it wasn't until I was six that I was close to fluent, and I was seven when I was fluent in English and Spanish. I continued to learn under Slades tutelage. There were... A few bumps in the road to say the least. Sometimes I had trouble learning a new skill, or sometimes my respect slacked off, or sometimes I just didn't obey my Master. The latter two always ended the same way... Yep... You guessed it...  
The first ended one of two ways: Slade would help me with whatever I was having trouble with, or I'd go berserk and get mad at him... And we all know how that ended. Curtains closed. End of story. I was spanked more than I like to admit... But I deserved every one of them. Slade never dealt out an unjust punishment. School was a breeze. Slade had already taught me everything the teachers were, I was way past my actual grade level when it came to academics. That stupid music class was the only thing I couldn't handle. I failed. The sound coming out of that class room was anything but musical. I was given a drum. I got so frustrated with the whole thing, I stabbed the drum with the stick... More than once. Once the head was destroyed... I smashed the rest of it... Well... Let's just say the teacher and the principal weren't happy about that... And when Slade found out... I got my twenty licks... He had to pay for the drum... And the stick... And he was almost sued by the school and by the family of the girl I elbowed in the face during my destructive rage... I broke her nose...But anyway... Moving on. I was given a computer class in place of the music class for the next semester.  
Slade made me learn how to read music anyway.

**Do y'all remember taking that stupid music class in elementary school?! It was awful. We really didn't make anything that resembled music...Looking back on it now, it probably should have been embarrassing...but since we were kids with like...no pride...well...yeah.**

**Have a good day!**


	7. Poison

**Alright yall, heres another chapter...it's really short, so to make up for it, I'm posting two today. :) you are welcome.**

**I want to give a shout out to all my wonderful reviewers! Thank you all for your support! If y'all want to see something specific happen between Slade and Dick, let me know. Remember, this is more of a father/son fic...so yeah. If you want Slade to beat Robin all to hell...check out "Robin and Slade apprentice." hehe. **

**anyway...here you go!**

Chapter 6: Poison

By the time I was in third grade, Slade decided it was time to start what he called "immunities." This involved months and months of being sick. He injected me every other day with poison. Not much, just enough to feel its effect. I was nauseated for months. Each different poison had a different effect. Some made me pass out, others made me vomit, some made me dizzy, while some didn't have much effect at all. The worst part of it all?  
Slade still made me go to school.  
Master still made me train.  
Although he did go a bit easier on me.  
The workouts weren't so rigorous, and as far as weapons training, he let me shoot some. Arrows, bullets... Whatever. I wasn't allowed to do anything on the high bar, tight rope, or trapezes he had set up. He did allow me to work on a balance beam though. He was right beside me through everything. And I was greatful. I fell off the beam a few times. Good thing he was there to catch me. It took almost a year for my body to become immune to the poisons. Had I been older, it may not have taken as long. But Slade isn't one to wait on things. My teachers couldn't get me to do much work, and I often told them I didn't feel well. Unfortunately, Slade was called on numerous occasions. He never came to pick me up. And he specifically told me not to draw attention to myself. He got kinda mad at me. He let it slide the first few times. But after that he wasn't so forgiving. Although, he couldn't really blame me, and he wasn't too rough with me. He also said no Tylenol or Advil at school. Mixing those drugs with the poisons could cause severe damage, and might even kill me. This rule, I obeyed. For an eight year old kid, I was pretty smart. By the time all of that was over, I was in the fourth grade.

**ok! please review!**


	8. A Schoolyard Scuffle

**Alright, y'all. I laughed so hard when I was writing this chapter...I hope y'all do too! It was so much fun. I shan't keep you here any longer.**

Chapter 7: A Schoolyard Scuffle

Fourth grade was a breeze. Up until then, I had passed every class with a solid A. Except music. Slade was proud of me. Fourth grade, however, was rough. It wasn't the learning part... It was the socializing part. I was picked on. I was the shortest kid in class. I was the youngest kid in class. I was a target. I was pushed and shoved, I was teased and mocked. Everyone knew I was an orphan. And eveyone knew I was a circus freak. These things didn't seem to matter in third grade. But this was fourth grade.  
A whole new world. The kids were all the same. They just had an attitude change over the summer.  
It happened one sunny afternoon out on the playground.  
I was on the swing.  
Not only that, I was on the middle swing. To this day, I have no idea what made that swing better than all the rest, but it was... And I had it. The other kids weren't happy in the least. So. There I was, happily swinging away. The boys name was Tommy Skinner. I will never forget him. And here's why:  
He was fat. He was short. And he was ugly. He came up behind me while I was swinging. I didn't see him. But he saw me. He wanted that swing, and he wanted it bad. I was up pretty high, and when I came down, Tommy held up both his hands and I fell right into them. This kid was like a brick wall. He wasn't phased at all. Whereas I went flying across the playground. I found myself under the slide. When I got up. Tommy was sitting in that swing, happily going at it. Well, as you can guess, this made me pretty mad. So. I did what I had to do. I walked up behind Tommy as he was swinging. I did not push him out. Nope. As he came back, I leapt up and caught hold of the chains. I was swinging with him.  
He didn't like it. He jumped off the swing, and I jumped down.  
"You wanna fight?" he asked.  
I smirked. He ran at me. He threw the first punch. I blocked it. Barely. He threw another and nailed me in the face. I punched him back. Then, it was on the ground for both of us, rolling in the mulch and dirt. This only went on for a few moments, but he landed another punch in my stomach, and he kneed me in the back and hit me again in my face. I landed one punch to his stomach. It didn't phase him. The fat just absorbed the punch. And I landed one punch to his shoulder. The teachers broke us up then. He started wailing. He was barely hurt. I had a busted lip and a black eye. I didn't cry. But Tommy absolutely broke down. I was the one who got in trouble. All the other kids were on his side. Even though I was the one who was bleeding. The teachers made sure Tommy was ok, then they hauled me to the principals office to call Slade. Now, as I said earlier, I'll never forget Tommy. As I was led back to the school, Tommy got back on the swing and sent me a satisfied expression. He was gloating. Once he pushed off, the chain broke. Tommy's fat ass hit the ground so hard, the whole swing set rattled. Well? I fell on the ground, literally laughing my head off. I couldnt stop. The teacher scolded me for laughing at friends when they got hurt. But there were two things wrong with her statement: Tommy wasn't my friend, and she was laughing too. She picked me up and we went inside to call Slade.  
I wasn't laughing anymore.  
The principal lectured me for a while. Then he made the call.  
"Hello? Mr. Wilson? Yes, this is principal Ramsey at Jump City Elementary school. Yes, Sir. Your son, Richard is here with us today. It seems there was a fight outside a few moments ago, where he injured a fellow student. Yes, sir. Yes, he's standing right here. He's fine, but I believe Mr. Skinner was hurt. No, sir, neither was sent to the nurse. Tommy is outside at recess. Richard started the fight. Well, the policy against fighting, Mr. Wilson, is that the offending student be suspended for a week. Yes, sir. Immediately. His teacher will give him all the work he will be required to make up. Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Wilson. He will be waiting for you. Yes, have a good day. Good bye." The phone call ended. The principal turned to me.  
"Your father will be on his way to pick you up. Your punishment is a one week suspension. Mrs. Watson here will give you a weeks worth of work that you will have completed by the time you returnnext Wednesday. If it is not completed, you will sit in that desk right over there and finish it. Do I make myself clear?"  
I nodded.  
"I'm very disappointed I you, Richard. Your father ought to give you the hiding of a lifetime." he said.  
"Mrs. Watson, he's all yours."  
She led me out of the principals office and down the hall to my class room.  
"I too am very disappointed, Dick." she said. "You're such a good boy, how could you do something like this?"  
"It wasn't my fault, he started it when-"  
"No. Don't you lie to me young man. You really hurt Tommy."  
"He hurt me too! I'm the one with a bloody lip and a black eye! He doesn't even have a scratch!" I protested.  
"Don't be ridiculous." she said.  
"I'm not. I'm being honest."  
"I don't want anymore excuses, Richard. Do you understand me? Principal Ramsey is absolutely right. You should be punished when you get home. It's a shame we can't do it in school anymore..."  
My experience told me that the last thing I needed was for this insane woman to tell Slade that I had been disrespectful and belligerent.  
"Yea ma'am..." I mumbled.  
She stuffed a folder full of different assignments. That much homework would have taken me two weeks to finish... It just wasn't fair. Plus, on top of all of that, and my black eye, I figured Slade would probably spank me when I got home that day.  
"Take your books. And I want every problem answered by the time you get back. Do you understand me?"  
"Yes, ma'am." I said.  
"Good. Go outside and wait for your father. I have to go get the others back inside." she said. We walked out of the room.  
Slade was there a few minutes later. He pulled up in his black Charger. I got in. I buckled up. He sent me a look that said, 'your gonna get it when we get home.'  
He drove off.  
The entire car ride was silent.  
No radio.  
No rolled down windows.  
No talking.  
When we got home, Slade marched me into the kitchen. He pulled up a chair and gestured for me to sit down.  
I did.  
He walked over to a kitchen drawer and pulled out that dreaded paddle. He set it on the table.  
Right in front of me.  
He pulled up a chair opposite to mine. He studied my face for a while.  
"Alright. Spit it out. And you better not lie to me either, boy."  
He broke the silence.  
I took a deep breath.  
"I promise, everything your about to hear is the truth. It wasn't my fault." I said.  
"Mmmm. Yes. I've heard that one before. Go on."  
So, I told him the whole story. I told him how Tommy had always picked on me. I told him how the fight started, how he pushed me, how I jumped on the chains, how Tommy didnt even have a scratch on him, how the teacher broke us up, how the chain broke when he sat back down, about what the principal said about the homework, and about the actual homework. I finished my story. Every word was absolute truth. Slade didn't interrupt me at all.  
Once I was finished, I looked at him. My eye hurt. I could taste blood... Slade let out a deep sigh. He stood up. I got nervous. Did he not believe me? He picked up the paddle and looked me in the eye.  
I swallowed nervously.  
"Are you sorry you hit him?" he asked.  
I shook my head.  
"He deserved it." I said. I was honest.  
He sighed. He put the paddle back down. He walked to the freezer and pulled out an ice pack and handed it to me. I put it against my swollen eye. He got a wet rag and pulled his chair right in front of mine. He cleaned the blood off my lip and chin. After all that was taken care of, he sat back and studied me. I was so nervous. What was he doing?  
Deciding how many swats I was going to get?  
Finally, he broke the silence.  
"So, the chains broke, huh?"  
I looked up. Startled at his question.  
"Yeah... And he shook the whole playground." I answered.  
He laughed.  
I laughed.  
Everything was ok.  
"Alright, let's see all that homework." he said. I got up to go get it. I pulled out the stuffed folder. He shuffled through it.  
"She gave you ALL of this for one week?!" he asked.  
"Yeah. And some stuff in the book too." I answered.  
"This is crazy." he stated.  
I shrugged.  
"It's...whatever, ya know? I can get it done. I guess."  
He nodded.  
"Do you want to start now?"  
I shrugged.  
He chuckled.  
"Come on. I think it's time you learned a thing or two in the area of hand to hand combat." he said as he stood up.  
"Wait... You-you're not mad? You're not gonna..." I didn't finish the question.  
"I'm not happy with what happened. But I'm not mad. The fight was not in vain. And no, you won't get a spanking for this. However, it better not happen again. If it does, you likely won't get off the hook so easily." he said.  
He turned and walked down the hall. I smiled and followed.  
It took all week to finish all of the homework. Slade helped me. A lot. The teacher was surprised it all get done. She had it out for me in the beginning.  
And the best news?  
Tommy, or anyone else for that matter, never bothered me again.

**XD I had so much fun with this...let me know what you think!**


	9. The Change

**Hello, my loyal followers and readers. So...I've been meaning to update this story...I've had the chapter written...but...I forgot. My apologies.**

**This chapter was also very fun to write. Please, let me know what you think. you're beautiful reviews mean so much!**

Chapter 8: The Change

When I turned ten, Slade began to show more of his real side.  
His assassin side.  
Training got more rigorous.  
Schoolwork became very important.  
Targets now looked like people.  
Russian and German were added into my lessons.  
Punishment became much harsher. Much more painful and attention grabbing.  
In addition to the martial arts and weapons and hand to hand he'd been teaching me, Slade trained me in robotics, hacking, and general computer systems.  
He educated me on killing.  
He educated me in security systems.  
Bombs.  
Mechanics.  
Electronics.  
Welding.  
He trained me in every weapon he owned.  
And I was good. Really good. He spent every possible moment training me. My eating habits were improved. No more junk food. Not that I ever ate much of that stuff anyway...  
I was the picture of fitness.  
Slade made me an apprentice outfit. Complete with armor and weapons.  
He sat me down on the day after my birthday and told me things were going to change. I remember it well.  
"Listen, Dick." he began casually.  
"Do you remember when we first met? In the alley?" he asked.  
I nodded.  
"That man you met... He wasn't the man you've known for the past few years. That man you met, he's an assassin. Ok? A killer."  
I didn't respond, so he continued:  
"Granted, it was me behind that mask, but that was my job. I am an assassin. My name is Deathstroke the Terminator. You've heard of him, yes?"  
I nodded. He has been on the news several times. Slade had been on the news... Because Slade was Deathstroke.  
"Since you've been with me, you have been training to be an assassin."  
I nodded.  
"That training is not going to stop unless you want it to. Its your choice."  
I thought about it. I had thoroughly enjoyed learning martial arts and everything he was teaching me. I wanted to be like him. All his knowledge... All his power.  
He was my hero.  
He took me in.  
He saved my life.  
He was my Master.  
"I don't want it to stop... I like fighting. I like to learn everything your teaching me... I love it. I like being Stygian."  
He nodded.  
"Im glad to hear that. Now, things are going to change. Your ten years old now. Ok?"  
I nodded.  
"I'm ready."  
He smiled.  
"Ok. First: You will have a strict training regimen to stick to. I want you up at 4:00 every morning, and I want you downstairs ready for training. Got that?"  
4:00? That was early. Way early... I wasn't a m morning person... But I could do it.  
I nodded.  
"Do not be late. That is an order."  
I nodded.  
"Second: your training will change. You've mastered the karate and judo, but we are adding kung fu, jujitsu, tai kwon do, and other various disciplines as well."  
I nodded.  
"Third, in addition to that, you will also be learning other skills, hacking, robotics, mechanics, engineering, welding and the sort. Should be pretty easy for you. Your weapons training will increase and be more in  
depth."  
I nodded again.  
"Finally, your discipline is also going to change. I will no longer be spanking you. You are too old for that now." he said.  
I raised an eyebrow. But still managed my nod.  
"You won't like it, Dick." he warned.  
"Who likes punishment to begin with?" I asked challengingly.  
I gave a small smirk.  
"From now on, you will be strapped." he said.  
"What?" I had no idea what that meant.  
He gave an amused snort.  
"Instead if receiving twenty swats across your backside with a paddle, you will receive up to twenty lashes across your back with a leather strap, depending on the severity of your actions."  
My mouth dropped.  
"Stand up, take off your shirt and and straddle that chair."  
Was I in trouble? What had I done? I almost protested.  
He held up a hand to stop me.  
"I want you to know now what it's like. Hopefully, we will never have to repeat this." he said. Though he knew better... He walked over to the kitchen drawer. He pulled out the new strap and waited for me to obey.  
Slowly, I did. I took off my shirt and straddled the chair.  
He brought the strap down across my back.  
It hurt like the devil.  
I jumped at the sharp pain. I screamed.  
He did it again.  
Again, I screamed.  
He did it a third time.  
I screamed once more.  
Again, the lash, again a startled, pain filled yelp.  
The fifth stung horribly. The pain spread across my back.  
I never tried to get up. Ever. He had to tell me when he was done. That wasn't a rule... It was just something I did. I still do. For a feeling of security.  
Tears fell down my face as I cried.  
I waited for the next one.  
It never came.  
Instead, Slade placed his hand on my back and rubbed my flaming back ever so gently.  
It stung.  
But, at the same time, it felt good.  
My body shook as I cried. Slade continued to rub my back soothingly until I calmed down and got the pain under control.  
After a few moments, my tears stopped. He bent down and whispered in my ear:  
"Don't forget this."  
I nodded.  
"That's it. We're done. You may turn around."  
He sat back down.  
I turned around.  
"You aren't in trouble, Dick. I only did that so you would know what it's like. I hope I never have to do it again."  
"Slade... Don't do that... Please... It hurts...a lot. Why?" I mumbled softly. I couldn't reach back and run the stick away from my back as Slade had done. Probably what he was aiming for. He never let my rub before, but this? This hurt so much more than a spanking.  
"If you don't like the punishment, don't commit the crime." he said.  
I closed my mouth and bowed my head.  
I closed my eyes.  
I breathed deeply and looked back up, nodding at Slade.  
"Thank you." I said.  
We stood and pushed in our chairs.  
He ruffled my hair. I gave a small, tear stained smile.  
"Come on. You need to try on your new suit."  
I nodded.  
We went downstairs together.  
The suit was nice.

**So...What do you think? leave a review and let me know.**

**Have a great day, and smile at a stranger today. :)**


	10. The Suit

**Ok...here we go...I know I updated earlier this week...but I'll go again.**

Chapter 10: The Suit

My Master left me to change. It took a while, but I finally got all the armor on. There was a chest plate, arm guards, shoulder guards, elbow, knee, shin and thigh guards, there was a metal plate protecting my abdomen and one on my back that were built into the Kevlar.  
The gloves also had armor. The knuckles were metal tipped. Wrist supports kept the gloves tight. There was a domino mask with sharp edges. The shoes had metal soles and metal buckles. It had ankle supports. And were surprisingly comfortable. The suit was mostly black. The only thing that was somewhat unique was that the left side was a deep orange. The colors blended well. There was a shiny silver S on the orange side. Slade.  
Once I had everything on and situated properly, I stepped out into the room. Slade was there. He was wearing an identical suit. Only his was all black, and it didn't have and S.  
He looked me over.  
"What do you think?"  
"Well, I feel about 100 pounds heavier..."  
He chuckled.  
"It's actually only about 45 pounds heavier." he said.  
"How does it feel?"  
"Um... Good I guess... It feels... Strong. Safe."  
He nodded.  
"Why orange?" I asked.  
Slade smiled and walked to the desk.  
He opened a drawer. He pulled out a mask.  
"Orange is my favorite color." he stated simply.  
"And the black?"  
He put the mask on. I'm blind in my right eye. That's why half of my mask is black. All I see out of that eye is black. Your suit was designed to match mine." he said.  
That made sense.  
I nodded.  
"I want you wearing that suit tomorrow morning when you come down. You have to get use to moving with its weight. Understood?"  
I nodded.  
"Another thing, I want you to talk. I want verbal answers. Not a shake or nod of the head. Clear?"  
Guess what I did?  
I nodded.  
"Uh-um... Yes, sir... Uh... Master..." I stuttered.  
"We'll work on it." he said.  
I nodded.  
He sighed.

**Ok...so short...really short. But. Fear not, for I shall post the next chapter for you guys...**

**NOW! Enjoy, and you're welcome.**

**Read and REVIEW!**

**My goal from now on is 10 reviews per chapter...please help me out y'all!**


	11. The First 4:00

**Here thee be. Enjoy thee selves. Oh...and this one is way longer.**

Chapter 11: The First 4:00

The only thing I could think that morning was:  
I should have gone to bed earlier.  
I set my clock for 3:45 AM.  
I drug myself out of bed and climbed into the suit.  
It was way too early to be making a 45 pound fashion statement...  
Once I had the armor on, I looked at the clock.  
I had two minutes.  
It only takes a few seconds to get down there... I could sleep for one more minute...  
But then, thank god, I remembered what Slade had done to me the day before. I did not want another strapping...yesterday, he gave me five.  
My usual number for punishment was 20... It still is.  
I got up and made my way to the stairs. Slade was already there. He was wearing his suit too. And he was wearing his mask  
"Good morning, Stygian. Are you ready to get started?"  
I nodded sleepily.  
"What was that?" he asked, his tone was a warning.  
"Um, yes, Master. I'm ready."  
"Excellent. Come with me." he ordered.  
I followed.  
"Each morning, you will begin with a ten minute run." he ordered. "You will be timed to the second. There will be no walking, no stopping. Clear?"  
I nodded.  
"CLEAR?"  
"Yes, Master."  
"Get to your mark."  
I did.  
"Begin."  
I took off. It wasn't really a run... But it wasn't a jog either. It was in between. I was ok for the first few minutes. But after about five minutes, I got a stitch in my side.  
And man, did it hurt. But I kept going. The fear of a strapping kept me going.  
8 minutes... I could barely breathe. I wasn't use to this kind of thing. Yeah, I could run... But I never really did. The suit wasn't helping either.  
9 minutes. I couldn't go any longer...  
I started slowing my pace.  
"KEEP GOING!" Slade instructed. I tried... I really did.  
I did finish the ten minutes... But not as fast as when I started. I walked up to Deathstroke when he called time. I was panting. Sweat rolling off of my face.  
"Moving on." he said.  
I followed.  
We sparred for a while with the bo staffs. Not really trying to win... Just keeping each other on edge. Slade had me do weights and showed me how to hit a target with a disk. I did ok...  
Before I knew it. It was 6:30.  
"Good job." he said. "Go get a shower and get ready for school. Breakfast will be waiting on you."  
I nodded.  
"Stygian."  
I turned.  
He stared.  
I was confused.  
"Sir?" I asked.  
"If I have to tell you one more time to answer me..."  
"Sorry, sir. Yes, master." I tried to cover.  
He shook his head.  
"Go." he said as he tilted his head to the door.  
"Yes, Master."  
I went upstairs, took a shower, brushed my teeth.  
Fixed my hair.  
Got dressed.  
Headed to the kitchen. It was 7:00.  
"Good morning, Dick." Slade greeted as I trudged through the kitchen.  
"Mornin..." I mumbled.  
I sat down in the chair. My head fell to the table.  
"Sit up." he said.  
I did.  
"I don't want to see that. You will not be moping around all day. If I find out you're sleeping in class..." he trailed.  
I shook my head.  
"No need for that, Slade. I've never fallen asleep in class, and I have no intentions of starting now."  
He smiled. He placed a plate of food in front of me.  
Eggs, toast, oatmeal, bacon.  
"Wow. Thanks... Whats all this for?" I asked.  
"No more sugary cereal or whatever it is you eat. You have to stay in shape. Eating right is one way to get started."  
"I'm in shape..."  
"No arguing."  
"Yes, sir."  
School didn't go by fast enough for me that day. It seemed the minutes turned into hours. I was tired. When the teacher called my name, I barely mumbled a response. I didn't play at recess. I just sat. A young boy walked up to me. I remember his name as Victor.  
"Hey, man... Are you ok?"  
"Yeah... I'm fine... Just really tired."  
"You know... When I'm tired, I like to run, or play football. Pop says it gets the blood flowing... Wakes you up. Wanna race?"  
"Not really..."  
"Come on man! How about just throwing the ball back and forth then?"  
I shrugged.  
"Ok. Sure."  
"BOOYAH! Come on, Dick!"  
Victor Stone and I became good friends that day. We graduated high school together. He was the quarterback for the Jump City Ravens high school team. He was a champion. We lost touch after high school.  
Anyway...  
When I got home from school, Slade was no where to be found.  
"SLADE?!" I called. No answer. I went to the kitchen to get something to eat. There was a note on the table.  
"Meet me downstairs. 4:00 sharp."  
Ok... It was 3:52.  
I grabbed some saltines and made my way down. I found him sitting in the observation room. I headed up.  
He turned to face me.  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
I swallowed the cracker.  
"The note said-"  
"What are you eating?"  
"Um...crackers." I stated bluntly.  
"What did I tell you this morning?"  
"To eat healthy... They're just crackers, Slade."  
He took the bag from me.  
"I have food in there for you to eat... You could have at least eaten some soup with this."he said.  
I shrugged. He tied the sleeve of crackers up and put them on the table.  
"Are you still any good at acrobatics?"  
"What? Of course. It's in my blood."  
"Get down there and give me a show."  
"Ok... Why?"  
He looked at me.  
I looked at him.  
"When we are down here, you do not question my authority."  
"I'm not... I just want to know what the point in it is."  
"If you must know. You unconsciously use acrobatics in everyday life. Especially when practicing martial arts. You are light on your feet. You're quiet. I want to see what you can really do. And I want to utilize your skills and help you develop a fighting style all your own."  
"Ok... I'll be out there in a few minutes. I gotta change outta this."  
"5 minutes."  
"Yes, sir."  
"You will find tape and powder at the base of the ladder."  
"Ok. Thanks." I said.  
A few minutes later, there I was wrapping tape around my knuckles. I rubbed the powder on. I climbed the ladder.  
I looked down.  
There was no net.  
I glanced at Slade.  
I almost told him.  
He already knew.  
He moved the net.  
What if I fall...  
I couldn't do it without a net.  
"I-Slade... The net..."  
His voice came over the speakers in the room. I didn't even know we had speakers in the room.  
"I am well aware the net is gone. I want a little pressure for you to work in.  
"I can't do this without a net..."  
"Of course you can. You're only ten feet up."  
I shook my head.  
I was scared.  
"MOVE IT, STYGIAN!"  
I jumped at the harsh tone... It got me moving though. I stepped back and launched myself at the trapeze.  
I hurled my weight through the air withe ease. But my movements were too stiff. I was terrified. I loved the feeling of flight when I was on the trapezes, but my fear if falling was overpowering me and making me lose focus.  
"Loosen up, Stygian." came Deathstroke's voice.  
I remained silent as I willed my body through the familiar motions.  
As I twisted around in the air, my balance was off. I wasn't going to make it to the bar. I tried.  
I reached.  
I grabbed empty air.  
I fell.  
I landed in a shoulder roll.  
Physically, I was fine. Mentally, I was dying. I didn't get up. I laid there in shock. I heard the observation room door opened and Slade come running down the stairs.  
"Stygian! Are you alright?"  
"Oh...yes, sir... I think."  
"Well, come on. Get up."  
I curled into a ball in terror.  
Slade picked me up and carried me to the kitchen. He made me some soup.  
I ate it with more crackers.  
"I'm sorry." I said.  
"For what?"  
"Being afraid. For falling."  
"Don't apologize for something like that. I'm the one who should be sorry. You told me you couldn't do it. I should have listened. I'll put the net back up and you can do it again tomorrow."  
I nodded.  
He let it slide.  
"Hurry up. Today, I'm going to teach you to hack through a basic security system." he stood to leave.  
"Yes, sir." I said. He left.  
I finished my soup.  
I followed.  
The day wasn't bad.  
Not bat at all.

**R&R please!**


	12. A Rough Lesson

**This chapter pick up right where the other left off**

A Rough Lesson

"Are you ok, Dick?" Slade asked as I ate the hot soup.

"Yes...I'm fine...I just...I'm sorry."

"Tell me what happened."

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to recount what had happened to me on the trapeze...

"I...had a flashback...a memory that isn't really there...I don't remember... but...something...someone...Died." I said. The memory was vague...but it was still there.

"I'm fine, Slade. Don't worry about it."

He gave a subtle nod.

"Ok." He said solemnly, "Hurry up. We have things to do." He said more briskly as he stood and headed to the gym. I quickly finished and followed. It was pitch black when I got there. I stood still and listened. It was a test, I could tell. I couldn't hear anything. I took a few steps forward…still nothing. Then, I heard the faintest sound of air to my left behind me. I ducked just in time before the bo staff hit me in the head. I continued to listen. Once again, I heard the slight sound of a foot being put back down. I lunged to my right, barely glancing the shoulder of my attacker. It was enough. I quickly spun around and sent a round house kick in the area where my opponent had just been. My foot met nothing as I landed on the ground almost silently. Again, I heard the whoosh of air as the bo staff came at me. This time, however, it was aimed at my knees. I jumped over it and kicked out. Still hitting nothing.

"Well done, Stygian." Came Slade's voice as he cut on the lights. He stood right in front of me with his hands and staff clasped behind his back. I did a back flip and moved about ten feet away from him.

"Very well done, indeed. Now, let the real fight begin." He said darkly. I pulled out a bo staff. As soon as it was in my hands, I felt powerful. With a deafening battle cry, I lunged at Slade. I brought the staff down with a tremendous force, aimed for his face. He quickly blocked the blow with a grunt. He pushed me back and tried to land one to my ribs. But I was quicker and jumped out of the way. I tried to land one on his thigh, but just barely missed. As I came back to the ground, he landed a hard blow to my ribs with a loud WHOMP.

"AH!" I yelled as the pain blossomed through my side.

"Forget the pain." Slade instructed, "Let your energy flow. Don't let your opponent bring out your emotions. Fight to win."

"HIAH!" I screamed as I aimed for his lower back. He jumped and landed on my staff with both feet. I gasped as he landed and uppercut to my jaw. Stars popped up in my vision as I stumbled back.

"OW…Slade…" I lost the grip on my staff. Slade kicked me in the chest with the bottom of his foot, sending me flying into the wall. I lost my vision for a moment. When it returned, Slade was standing over me with the end of the bo staff at my throat. In that position, he could easily crush my trachea and kill me. I looked up at him defeated. I couldn't do anything, I was trapped.

"Damn…" I mumble. He nodded ever so slightly and moved the staff, offering me his hand to help me up. I pushed up off the ground and walked around Slade to my own bo staff. I turned to face him defiantly.

"Again." I demanded, as I lunged at him. The time, I didn't give him a chance to think after I said 'again.' I landed a hard blow to his ribs.

"Ungh!" He grunted as he tried to ram his staff into my spine. I dodged the attack. I leapt up and over his head. On my may down, I aimed my bow staff at his heart. He only reached up and jerked it away. Throwing it across the room at the same time, he thrust his upward aiming for my stomach. Perfect. I grabbed it and jerked it out of his hand. On my way to the ground, I placed one hand on his shoulder for support so I didn't hit the ground improperly. I landed behind him and sent a hard blow to his lower back. He quickly turned around.

"Smooth. Well done." He said as he punched me in the exact same place as before: an uppercut to the jaw. Again, I lost my vision…I could feel a bruise forming.

Again, He punched me, this time in the gut.

"OOF!" I gasped. As I recovered, he used the palm of his hand and landed a blow to my chest. I stumbled backward. He continued to push me back up against the wall. He hit two pressure points in my shoulders, sending pain shooting down my arms, neck, and back.

"AHHHH!" I screamed. He kicked me in the chest and sent me flying into the wall. My back hit hard, sending all of the air from my lungs. I couldn't breathe. I slid down the wall and landed on my hands and knees, gasping desperately for air. I rolled over on my side and then onto my back. I couldn't breathe…I sounded terrible trying to get oxygen into my stinging lungs. It hurt…my chest was on fire…

Slowly, I got my breath back and managed to sit up. Slade was standing over me.

"Even after you unarm your opponent, this is how you go down?" He asked, "You let your pain get the best of you. That's your problem. You must block it out."

I didn't respond. What could I have said? I just sat there and concentrated on breathing. Slade handed me a bottle of water. I quickly uncapped it and drank it down. My hair was glued to my head with sweat and my shirt glued to my back in the same fashion. Once I finished the water, I felt much better. I felt stupid for still being defeated even after he had no weapon. Once again, Slade offered his hand and once again, I declined, choosing to stand on my own.

"Again." I panted as I walked to the other side of the room to retrieve my staff.

"As you wish…" He said darkly. I heard him run towards me, but I was too dazed to allow the sound to register.

"Wh-What?" I mumbled. I turned just in time for his staff to glance my shoulder. Then, the fight was on again. I did a back flip, grabbing my staff as I did so and aimed for his neck. He ducked just in time to avoid the blow. He tried to throw me off my feet by swiping a low blow. I jumped over it. I turned around and launched myself up into the air over Slade. I shifted my body so that my foot was aimed for his face. Slade dropped his staff and grabbed my ankle. He swung me around, my arm and chest scraping the rough concrete floor. My armor sparked at the contact. He let go and I went. I tried to land on my feet, But ended up smacking into the wall and rolling back to him.

"Ohhhhhh…." I moaned as I tried to get back up. I hurt all over.

Blood fell from my jaw and nose where he'd punched me. My jaw was badly bruised. I got to my feet shakily, bow staff in hand. I got back into my defensive crouch and waited for his next move. I had to win this. He lunged at me, retracting his bow staff and rammed it into t my ribs. An easy blow to block, had I been expecting it…

"AHHH!" I shouted as I tried weakly to ram my staff into his face with my sore arms. He easily grabbed it and jerked it from my hands. He retraced that one also and hit me upside the head with it before placing it in his belt with the other. I tried once again to land a blow on Slade, but he took hold of my wrist and held me still. He threw me into the wall yet again. I hit with a loud thud and slid down to the floor. I bowed my head and sat against the wall, resting my forearms on my knees. I focused once again on slowing my labored breathing.

In…out…in…out…in….out….

"Had enough?" he asked.

"No." I answered. I was surprised at my rough voice.

"You can't win every fight, Stygian." Slade said.

"Maybe you can't, but I can…" I said somewhat uncertainly.

"Yes, you have certainly proved that today, haven't you?" he said sarcastically. I didn't respond. My body began to tremble from over exertion. I continued to breathe in and out deeply. After a few minutes, I tried to get up without success.

"Ohhhh…." I moaned. I was exhausted.

"Come on, Stygian." Slade said, once again offering his hand. I considered it for a moment and finally took it. Slade pulled me off the ground gently. I stumbled on my shaky legs. Slade led me to a bench and I sat down tiredly. I glanced up at him through my mask.

"Why so rough today?" I asked curiously. Usually, he didn't overpower me so much during training.

"I wanted you to feel the pain of defeat." He said. "You can't always win. Sometimes, you must give up before you get yourself killed."

"Ha." I scoffed. "Message received."

He handed me a towel. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and draped it over my neck.

"Thanks…" I mumbled, running a hand through my loose hair. I hadn't gelled it that day.

"Come on. Let's get some ice on that bruise." Slade said as he began walking back to the house.

"Yeah…Ok." I said tiredly as I followed my Master.

He could be rough. But it was that roughness that kept me strong.

**R&R!**


	13. Morning Time Woes

**Yay! I love posting new stuff...It's like new socks day...I got new socks yesterday y'all...I love new socks. They are so great. If you haven't gotten new socks in a while, I suggest you go get some right now and then come back and read this while wearing you bright, soft new socks!**

**I love socks...**

**Anyway, Here is chapter twelve. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!**

Morning Time Woes

Ever since I was little, I'd always been a night owl. I hated mornings. Or rather…I hated waking up…. For Slade, getting me to wake up was like pulling his own teeth. I gave the man so much grief about it. I never could understand how he could wake up at the crack of dawn ready to kick some ass. As for me…I wasn't fully awake until after noon. When I first started training at 4:00 in the morning, it wasn't so bad. But, a few weeks in, it was back to not getting up. The first morning, Slade came and drug me out of bed. Reluctantly, I got up, got dressed and we trained. I did it again for the next few days. Finally, Slade got so fed up with me; he finally had to send a threat my way:

"If I have to come wake you up one more time, you will not like the consequences." He said it very dangerously…

'Will not like the consequences' always meant one thing: Punishment.

So, for the next few days, I was good. Woke up at 3:45, got dressed, trained, showered, and went to school. But, like a fool, I disregarded his warning and slept in again.

Naturally, I slept without a shirt on.

Slade barged into my room, slamming the door against the wall. That woke me up…barely. He cut on the blinding lights.

"Dick. Get up." He ordered loudly.

That snapped me awake. I jolted up. Slade was advancing to the bed, my strap in hand.

"Slade! Wait! I'm up! I'm up!" I pleaded. I tried to get out of bed, but he caught me by the arm and pulled me up. He got right in my face.

"What did I tell you?" he demanded.

I didn't answer immediately, so he gave me a rough shake.

"Answer me!"

"Ow! Slade! I'm Sorry, ok? I'm up."

"What did I tell you?" He asked again.

"Th-that you-not to sleep in…"

"Or what?" he asked. I hated it when he asked that.

"Or…I'd be strapped…" I answered meekly.

"Its 4:17, Dick."

"I know…I'm sorry. Slade, please don't." He released my arm and I fell back on the bed.

"Lay down." He ordered.

"N-No…Slade. Don't. It-It's too early for this…I'll get up, I swear!"

"I know you will." He said as he let the strap uncoil.

"I'm-This won't happen again…"

"Roll over, Dick." He said impatiently.

A tear formed in my eye. This was the first time Slade had actually punished me with the strap. The first was an example…but this…I tried to give him my best regretful look, but he was unphased.

"NOW, DICK." He snapped.

I had no choice but to obey. I rolled over on my stomach. He placed a firm hand on the back of my neck to hold me down. He only gave me eight, and they weren't too forceful. But they still hurt and raised welts. I cried. Slade rolled up the strap.

"Get up. Get dressed. Be in the gym in five minutes or I'll come back for round two." He warned.

"Yes, Sir…" I muttered. I rolled over with a moan.

He turned to go. Right before he shut the door, I called after him.

"Thank you, Slade." I said quietly. He paused, but closed the door without a word.

I wish I could say that was the only time that happened, but it wasn't.

Nope. He stormed into my room on several occasions. Cut on the lights, ripped off my covers, held me down and strapped me.

I pleaded…but he didn't care.

It happened more as I grew older….probably too much. Once or twice he did end up coming back for round two because I laid there on my stomach trying to get the pain to go away…and I fell asleep again…

Slade hated it, I hated it. But I was not a morning person, and I never will be. Every time Slade slammed the door open, he always said:

"How many more times do we have to do this before you learn?"

And I always responded with:

"NONE! I'm up!"

He made sure of it. Interestingly enough, I never learned to sleep with a shirt on…

**Ok...it may seem like the chapters don't really hold much significance, but they do. These are very important for developing the story and you will hopefully understand later in the story why I included them.**

**Please Let me know what you think. I love you guys, and thank you all so much for my reviews! They inspire me and fuel my writing!**


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